


Datura Innoxia

by JessKo



Series: Datura Cycle [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Porn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chiss Politics, Deepthroating, Dubious Consent, Eggpreg, F/M, False Accusations, Forced Pregnancy, Light Bondage, M/M, Male Lactation, Manipulation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Memory Loss, Mpreg, Multi, Oral Sex, Oviposition, Shower Sex, Xeno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:07:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22179802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessKo/pseuds/JessKo
Summary: Datura Innoxia is a shrub-like plant with pleasant white flowers and large, spiny egg shaped fruits which, if ingested, can be a deliriant. However, every part of this plant is toxic, containing dangerous amounts of alkaloids. Due to this property, it is illegal to buy, sell, or cultivate this plant in most areas...Fleeing to the Chiss Ascendancy for safety seemed to be the best course of action for the disgraced Grand Admiral Thrawn and the few remaining members of his crew. However, after seeing how the humans are mistreated by the Chiss, one Eli Vanto in particular, Thrawn begins to question his choice, and the integrity of those in power...
Relationships: Eli Vanto/Formbi | Chaf’orm’bintrano, Eli Vanto/Original Chiss Character(s), Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Eli Vanto
Series: Datura Cycle [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1476950
Comments: 46
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before diving in, I would like to take a moment and let you know what you are getting into with this one. If you are familiar with the Datura Cycle story, you know that Chiss have mating cycles where “seeds” build up, and can only be released into a living mate. In this story, Thrawn will need to release, and is restricted to one option, but due to circumstances, Eli’s consent is dubious at best. This is probably the lightest of the chapters ahead aside from the epilogue.  
> In later chapters, this dubious factor will be reduced to non-consensual as characters will be manipulated into performing sexual acts with others that could/will lead to impregnation. Additional tags may be added. The endgame is happy Thranto, but there is still a rocky road ahead for them. If these themes do not squick you, let us both stop to smell the sacred datura blossoms in this cycle finale...

Working to make the comms array operational had been a challenge, but after several weeks the thirty or so surviving techs had managed to pull it off, and the _Chimaera_ was once again able to communicate with life outside of the atmosphere of the uninhabited planet it had crashed down on. Promise of reward had been enough to lure down a pirate freighter, which was shot down using their sole turbo laser. Carefully so that it could be stripped for parts to refurbish the heavily damaged Lambda shuttle found in a recently accessed lower hangar, the halls leading to it crumpled and full of debris. The Weequey captain had not gone down without a fight, but severely outnumbered he’d been forced to surrender his hyperdrive and a few other key components. They had left his own communications untouched, however, so it was likely that the pirate would be picked up by someone and on his way in no time. 

Thrawn was glad to not have yet another death on his hands. Asserting his rank, Thrawn had chosen their destination once the shuttle was fully prepared. A risk, to be sure, but it was their last and only hope, or so he thought at the time. 

Not all of the crew agreed, and they did not have enough salvaged fuel to make it, however, so a short stop was made on Batuu. This was an outer rim planet Thrawn knew well enough to trust they could slip in and out undetected by the empire, or anyone really. 

By the time the shuttle was refueled, only fifteen or so of the crew remained, having no where else to go and trusting the former Grand Admiral fully. Thrawn hoped this trust was not misplaced as he manually keyed in the hyperspace coordinates for Chiss space. He was also somewhat relieved to have some personal space in the cramped shuttle. Lambdas were not designed for one hundred men to occupy, and part of him wondered if they might run out of oxygen with so many on the voyage. 

In just a few hours time, they would reach Csilla, and then what happened next would be out of his hands. 

“Mitth’raw’nurodo.” Admiral Ar’alani said plainly as Thrawn exited the Lambda onto the cool surface of a planetside hangar, located in one of the many nooks curling up and around the central military spire of the capital city. It was hard to tell just how she intended the greeting to go over, her voice cold and devoid of any sort of inflection to indicate emotion. Thrawn had gotten far too used to how open humans were with revealing their true intentions through tone and body language. 

On either side Thrawn was flanked by his highest remaining officers, a mid-rim Lieutenant Commander who had been serving under Commander Hammerly before her death in the crash and DT-3548, his personal Death Trooper and former lover, Eli Vanto. Most of the bridge crew had unfortunately perished, leaving the Grand Admiral with low ranking crew for the most part. Loyal, certainly, but not battle tested. 

The Admiral looked over the rather scrappy crew before her, several white-armored guards and official looking officers and technicians following the leading trio. What stuck out the most, however, was not only the fact that all but Thrawn were human, but also Thrawn’s attire, a large rank plaque attached to a black jumpsuit that more closely resembled fighter pilot garb than anything a commander ought to wear. Thrawn had selected it for the rather simple fact that his white uniform no longer fit, and the loose black material did more to conceal the rather unseemly bulge at his midsection. It had been far too long since he last released… 

“Back so soon from exile, hm?” Another Chiss chimed in Cheunh, clad in long, extravagant yellow robes. Thrawn identified him as Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano, leader of the Chaf ruling house. His arms were crossed and his thin lips pulled into a barely restrained smirk. 

Admiral Ar’alani shot the Aristocra a sharp look that silenced him, but the expression remained. 

Bowing deeply, with some strain, Thrawn formally greeted them both. “We come seeking asylum from the Galactic Empire.” He finished with, only rising after Admiral Ar’alani indicated him to. Chaf’orm’bintrano could not help but scoff at the exertion Thrawn displayed at the simple task, knowing exactly what was going on. 

“I alone can not grant you this, Mitth’raw’nuruodo.” Ar’alani responded. The humans clustered behind Thrawn shifted uncomfortably, not understanding what was being said nor able to read her tone or expression, all stoic and ice. “However, I will meet with my fellow Admirals and discuss the situation. For the time being, we will house you here.” 

Chaf’orm’bintrano cut in before Thrawn could reply. “I truly do not think this is a purely military matter, Admiral. The Aristocra should also be made aware of such… Unique circumstances.” 

Ar’Alani narrowed her eyes. The Aristocra continued. “I aquiesse that they can be held here, for now at least. But this is not something the navy alone will handle. On a side, I’d like those guards to remove their helmets, if you will please give them the order.” Chaf’orm’bintrano gestured to Thrawn. 

Translating the request into basic, Thrawn said, “Remove your helmets.” 

One by one, white plastoid was lifted to reveal an array of human faces, hair tied up in tight buns or shaved to a short length. DT-3548 hesitated. “That is an order.” 

“What is that? Is it transponding coordinates?” Chaf’orm’bintrano cried out, pointing to the cybernetics covering the left side of the Death Trooper’s face, doonium contrasting against tan skin. Thrawn bit back a sigh. 

“No, Aristocra. Simply cybernetic performance enhancements.” 

Ar’alani spoke next. “Do these cybernetics have a memory core?” 

“Yes, Admiral.” Thrawn provided. 

“Then it will need to be wiped.” 

“That could kill him!” Thrawn replied a little too excitedly, earning him an intrigued look-over from Chaf’orm’bintrano. He internally winced, regretting the emotional outburst. 

“We will be careful to ensure that life sustaining processes are not forgotten, then.” 

Without anything more to add, Thrawn allowed the Admiral’s guard to lead them away, likely to holding cells. Chaf’orm’bintrano followed alongside him. “I believe you are also in dire need of suppressants, no?” He said quietly, just for Thrawn to hear. “And a nice warm hole to release into? Hm?”

Thrawn did not dignify that with an answer. 

Walking down curling ramps inside the spire in silence, they were indeed lead to holding cells, a bit more comfortable than the imperial equivalent, but they were still locked, windowless cells. Chaf’orm’bintrano let the guards split the humans into groups of four, but pulled Thrawn and the black-clad trooper aside into a separate room. “You’re welcome.” He trilled, close to winking but stopping himself short of doing the action. That would be a little too cruel, he figured. Besides, he’d need Thrawn to be… Open to further discussion later on. 

“I can’t. Not in this one.” Thrawn said coldly, standing just a foot across from Chaf’orm’bintrano in the cell, keeping a hand firmly pressed against the doorframe to hold it open. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you the aide as well as the suppressant. I’m not a barbarian.” Chaf’orm’bintrano understood the irony of his statement. “Besides, he’ll not remember anything after the wipe.” 

Without waiting for a reply, Chaf’orm’bintrano left Thrawn alone with his trooper, the door sealing shut behind him. 

“Care to translate any of that for me? Or is it secret Chiss stuff?” DT-3548 asked, seated on the padded bench in the center of the room. There was also a table, two large bunks, and storage cubes likely holding a change of clothes if they so desired. The corner of the room was a walled off refresher station with shower, sink, and toilet. 

Thrawn’s hands shook as he loosened the collar of the flight suit, unhooking it and working down the zipper to the waist. “You won’t remember a thing…” he muttered. 

DT-3548 did not flinch, keeping his eyes trained on Thrawn’s. His commander’s. The one he swore to protect for the Empire with his life. As coarse black fabric blocked the Grand Admiral’s plaque the Chiss wore, it finally dawned on the Death Trooper that they truly had left the Empire. “Sir… What do you mean?” 

“Your implant. They intend to wipe it after we finish.” Thrawn's voice wavered, cracking like it had when he was a young boy becoming a man. He still was not used to a core accent coming from those soft pink lips. “Get on your knees, Eli.” 

“I’m not-”

“That is an order!” 

Wordlessly, the trooper slid down onto his knees. Thrawn stepped forwards to close the distance between them, twining his fingers in familiar unruly brown locks. The trooper, Eli as he had once been known, stared ahead, eyes focusing so hard the world simply blurred. Thrawn began to pull open his belt. 

“Since I’m not going to remember this, call me what you want. Sir.” He said brazenly. Thrawn had to admire that, of all the things, the spark of defiance is what still remained of Eli. There being just enough self preservation as well to tack on the formality at the end. Salve on a sting fly bite. 

Thrawn’s cock twitched in excitement. He wanted to cry. “I’m sorry.” 

With no more clasps or buckles to attend to, Thrawn shrugged the clothes from his shoulders and it pooled at his ankles, and pumped his ridged, purple flushed member to hardness before angling his hips towards the human before him. Eli opened his mouth, accepting the blunt-tipped dick and swirling his tongue around the head. He’d had enough practice on the other troopers that he thought he could at least make short work of this. 

But what Eli thought of in that moment was not a memory of sucking Waffle off, he was surprised to find that instead the hot, salty thickness he recalled felt just like the heaviness resting on his tongue, textured and crater-like at its tip. Definitely not human. 

Pulling back for a second, he caught his breath. “We’ve done this before.” 

Thrawn could sob if he wasn’t so painfully aroused and in absolute need. “Yes, Eli, many times.” Eli took him back in, working his way down the shaft with a smart press of his lips. “We… I… You loved me. And I you. It was beautiful, Eli. And I’m sorry that it has to happen this way… That in my carelessness we were caught, and you...” Thrawn stopped, feeling his orgasm already nearing. But he didn’t let it overcome him yet. “I love you still. Every day. I’m so sorry.” 

Eli’s eyes flicked up, one silver and one brown, and seemed to understand. There was not much affection in the glance, more a look of understanding, but Thrawn would take what he could get. 

When he came, and the thick come was soon replaced by large bulbous seeds, Eli’s eyes blew open in panic. Thrawn, panting, stroked between his shoulders. “It’s going to be alright. This is normal…” This amount was certainly not normal, but it was Thrawn’s own fault that he’d let himself go so long, and so this would be the consequence. “With the aide, it will only last a day… and then you can forget all about it.” 

Eli nodded the little bit he could with Thrawn’s cock shoved to the back of his neck, breathing evening out. As Thrawn's stomach went down, and Eli’s own began to inflate, Eli’s arms began to move, flicking open the straps holding his armor in place. Making room, Thrawn realized. 

“In the empire, we would do this with smaller amounts, so that we wouldn't get caught.” Thrawn continued, the more joyful memories the only things keeping him sane. “I’m not sure what I ever did to deserve you. But what we had was the sort of thing one could spend a lifetime searching for, yet never find.” Thrawn paused, not sure if what he wanted to say next even made sense. There was nothing left to lose, he realized, so he said it as black armor began to clatter to the floor. “Thank you for being a part of my life and spirit, Eli. I will cherish the short time we had together.” 

Looking back down, Thrawn noticed that Eli’s eyes were downcast. A tear glistened on his cheek. With a blue hand, Thrawn wiped it away. Eli adjusted his position, sinking down to sit on his boots, draping his arm over his stomach, fabric pulled taut. Reaching behind Eli, Thrawn loosened the zipper running down Eli’s back, opening up the skin tight fabric so that it would not tear. 

The process continued, and neither being bothered to count the number of seeds deposited. Soon, the flow slowed, and Thrawn stepped back after a final spurt of come. Eli flopped back, rolling onto his side with a grunt while massaging his jaw. 

“Figured there was a lot to my past I didn’t recall. I appreciate your honesty. I’m going to ask for it again though, because this does not look normal, Sir.” Eli commented dryly, patting a heavily distended stomach. 

“It can not hurt you.” Thrawn supplied, admitting his load was a good deal more than any Chiss should carry. Pulling up his flight suit, now comically large as it hung on his lithe frame, Thrawn squatted down beside Eli on the floor, feeling light as a feather. “Let me help you onto the bed.” 

Eli nodded, feeling more like a boulder than a man. “Yeah, I’d like that.” 

With a grunt, Thrawn was able to help Eli to his feet, then assisting him onto the soft mattress. He contemplated laying beside him, but opted against it, instead putting sheets over his form, then reaching around to the side of his head, flipping open a panel. Before Eli could protest, Thrawn powered the cybernetics down to standby mode, putting the human into a deep rest. He then ventured into the refresher to wash up. After splashing cool water on his face, Thrawn heard the door open with a hiss. 

Stepping back out into the main area of the cell, Thrawn found a Chiss guard offering him two small cups on a tray, one with blue liquid within it, the other with a red. The aide and suppressant. Thrawn thanked the guard and then downed the red fluid, bitter and syrupy but needed. The dose, he noted to himself, should hinder several months of seed production. 

Then, came the blue fluid. The guard allowed Thrawn to take the disposable cup, exiting and sealing the door again. Approaching Eli, Thrawn did not want to wake him, for it would only prolong his suffering, so he opened his mouth and propped him up, allowing gravity to assist the aide to his stomach. This would be much more potent than the makeshift formula he developed in the Empire, so it truly would only take a day. 

Not knowing what else to do, Thrawn lay down on the opposite bed after ensuring the aide had gone down completely. He quickly found that he could not get comfortable, hands refusing to cease shaking and a pit settling in his gut that was somehow more pressing than the seeds he’d carried. He was disgusted and horrified and hundreds of other terrible emotions he did not even know how to begin to process. The thought of Eli forgetting it all soon should have made it all somewhat better, but now knowing that there had been a shred of recognition, that the man he loved was still deep down in that silver metal memory core… It was unbearable to Thrawn to have to lose it all again. 

But he understood why Admiral Ar’Alani made her command, and would honor it. Surrendering gracefully, as he had been taught those years ago in the Ascendancy Naval Academy. Wondering how the Admiralty’s discussions were going would be the line of thought that eventually allowed a deep-set exhaustion from traveling to put Thrawn to sleep, his rest light and without dreams. 


	2. Chapter 2

Thrawn awoke to the sound of the cell door opening. By the time he got his bearings and sat up in bed, Chaf’orm’bintrano was seated at the table, bench pulled up to it to create a dining space. Two meal trays were set in front of him, and he looked over to Thrawn, red eyes piercing and coy, obviously hiding something. He smiled thinly to which Thrawn turned, setting his feet down on the floor. “Come. I brought us breakfast.” 

Thrawn wordlessly sat beside Chaf’orm’bintrano on the bench, but he made no move to eat. The visitor paid it no mind. 

“I bring news of the discussions regarding your crew.” The Aristocra began. “It is not good. The decision is to send them on a naval vessel to the furthest colonies, hope they can pick up enough Cheunh on the trip to operate effectively by the time they reach their posts.” Thrawn did not react to this, so the other Chiss continued. “Well, I’m not sure you are aware, but there is much unrest in the colonies. Reports of uprisings. It is the sort of assignment one is given to go die at.” 

“So the word is execution.” Thrawn finally uttered. 

Chaf’orm’bintrano sighed. “In all but that exact word, yes. You know how the Admiralty is, not supporting deadly sentences and preemptive strikes and all that. I am sorry.” 

Thrawn felt an urge to hiss at the man, knowing for certain that Chaf’orm’bintrano was likely the one to suggest such an abysmal fate, and that he’d mentioned his own reason for exile on purpose, but he kept his composure. “Why are you telling me this?” 

“I want to help you and your… Friend.” 

Thrawn knew that Chaf’orm’bintrano did not simply act out of the kindness of his heart, if there was even any in it, and was rightfully skeptical. “What’s in it for you?” He asked bluntly. 

“I’m going to be transparent with you, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. I was sent to collect the human for the memory core wipe. While he recovers from that, the seed will pass, and then it's off to the colonies with him as it stands now. But, there is an alternative that would prevent that.” Chaf’orm’bintrano paused for effect, wanting the weight of his words to set in. 

Thrawn was growing impatient, taking a tense bite of a piece of fruit on his tray. He was too upset to savor the familiar flavor, something he’d not tasted since his exile. “That does not answer my question.” 

Chaf’orm’bintrano took a sip of sweet orange tea before resuming his proposition. “My wife and I have been considering stopping our suppressants. We want to have a child. Or children. But, we can’t afford to take the gestation period away from our duties, with the colony uprisings and all. So, I believe that we could use him as a surrogate, and you can have him back after that, for whatever it is you want to keep him around for. Honestly, sometimes I wish my wife had an off switch.” Chaf’orm’bintrano chuckled, the way Thrawn bristled at this confirming his suspicions. “You’re a lucky man, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. I’d not waste this chance.” 

Thrawn had grown expressive by Chiss standards over his time with humans, so he need not open his mouth for Chaf’orm’bintrano to recognize he’d not won the man over. “Think about it. We can just wipe his memory again, not a hair on his little shiny head harmed. We’ll both get what we want. I’m going to take the man now, you let me know your choice when I come back. Deal? Deal.” Without giving Thrawn a chance to reply, Chaf’orm’bintrano waved in a team of guards who hoisted Eli’s sleeping form onto a gurney and pushed him away. Chaf’orm’bintrano let out a low whistle. “You took the suppressant right?” 

Thrawn nodded, and then the Aristocra was gone behind a locked door. Alone, Thrawn considered his options as he ate. He only got half way through the meal before he began to feel nauseous, though, and laid down on the bench, running his hands down his face. What was he going to do?

He couldn’t sent Eli to his death, no matter what state his memory was in. But the thought of Chaf’orm’bintrano essentialy breeding him was too much to bear… 

Having the ability to clear his memory was another factor almost too difficult to understand, but it would need to be factored in. When Chaf’orm’bintrano returned some hours later, Thrawn knew what he was going to say. Besides, there was no guarantee that Chaf’orm’bintrano didn’t just steal Eli anyways. At least in this agreement, there was a chance he might get his beloved back again. 

“I want to see him before I decide.” Thrawn said when Chaf’orm’bintrano returned, to the point immediately. 

“Fine. I’ll come get you when he wakes up. Might I ask why?” Chaf’orm’bintrano added, prying for information. 

“No.” 

Chaf’orm’bintrano didn’t take it personally, and let the door close between them once again. 

Thrawn wanted to ensure the mind wipe was entirely successful, and to do that he’d need to see Eli in person. Make sure there was not a bit of recognition in his eyes. Only then could he agree to Chaf’orm’bintrano’s terms, and even then it still did not sit well. But he was not in a place to barter conditions, and a large part of Thrawn knew it would please the Aristocra too see every human executed, xenophobic brat that he was. 

When he was eventually lead out of the cell by a guard, Thrawn had changed clothes. In the storage unit there had been an array of robes and such from which he eventually decided on a red top with long sleeves and black pants. 

“Red suits you.” Chaf’orm’bintrano commented when Thrawn entered the medical unit, leaning against a pillar sculpted to resemble an icicle. “Reminds me of our Academy days. You in your Mitth maroon and myself in Chaf yellow. Good times.” Gesturing to a hall, the pair walked past a long row of curtains before eventually reaching the end of the passageway. Pulling back the final covering, a small space with a high window was revealed, the room following the curve of the spire as it ascended from the ground. On the bed was Eli, back to his normal size and seeming to stare into space. It took him a few seconds to acknowledge that someone had entered. 

“Oh. Hello.” He greeted them in Sy Bisti, accent changed to a sort of unclipped ‘Mid-Rim Holonewscaster’ drone. It was better than the shrill Core World accent he’d used previously, so Thrawn accepted it for the time being as a minor success. Eli sat up. “You are?” 

“My name is Chaf’orm’bintrano, and this is Mitth’raw’nuruodo.” 

“I’m Eli Vanto. Good to meet you, Chanf’orm’binbistro and Mitth’row’nuruto… Oh I said that wrong, didn’t I? Sorry.” 

Thrawn turned away. “I’ve seen enough.” 

“Enough of what? I’ve offended you, haven’t I…” Eli trailed off, plopping back down on the pillow. 

Thrawn left the room, not wanting to look at the version of Eli that would be so horribly violated any longer. He didn’t even know his name, the pronunciation should have been ingrained into his deepest memories, so that settled any of Thrawn’s worries. 

“Don’t mind him, just a big grumpy-puss that Thrawn.” Chaf’orm’bintrano joked with Eli, not following Thrawn out. “Just call me Formbi, that way you don’t have to worry about that pesky human accent of yours.”

“Oh. Alright. And you said he was Thrawn? That sounds familiar…” Eli rubbed his chin, looking away. “Have we met before?” 

Chaf’orm’bintrano could just scream with how badly he wished Thrawn were here to hear this, that the memory wipe was incomplete due to not wanting to turn the human into a lump who didn’t even know how to breath or pump blood through their veins. Oh, this was going to be good. 

“No, I don’t believe so. But we’ll get to know each other better soon, Eli’van’to.” 

* * *

Eli found himself in a large house, furnished luxuriously and absolutely deserted aside from himself and his host. 

“Now then, Eli’van’to, this isn’t going to seem very kind of me, but it is for your own good.” 

“Again, you can just call me Eli. It’s my name.” Eli said playfully not realizing what was about to happen. From behind, Formbi fastened a metal device around Eli’s neck, an indicator light blinking intermittently to indicate that it was activated. 

“Alright, Eli, this is a tracking collar. If you try and leave the house, it will knock you unconscious. I’m being honest with you so that you don’t try and do something you will regret. Remember what I told you about your lot?” 

“That I was an accessory to a war criminal and can’t be fully trusted?” 

“Exactly. It’s just a precaution.” 

“I don’t remember being an accessory to a war criminal.” Eli pouted, flopping down on the first chair he encountered, plush pillows covering carved stone. He was still coming to terms with the fact that perhaps Formbi was not as friendly as their banter had led him to believe. 

“Well, the evidence was not in your favor, I’ll tell you that much. Regardless, I did not want to see a valuable life sent to execution, so my partner and I saved you from the chopping block.” 

“On what terms?” Ah, this one was just as perceptive as Thrawn, Formbi thought to himself. 

“You’ll see. We’ve yet to decide on how many.” 

“How many what?” Eli sat forward in the seat, catching each of Formbi’s words as he wandered to another part of the house. 

“How many children we wish to have.” 

This only raised more questions from Eli, and as the days passed, Formbi only got more and more creative in providing answers that didn’t answer anything. His wife, Chaf’en’ito, or Feni, was even less helpful, just shaking her head with a knowing grin when Eli prodded her for information. It probably helped that she did not know much Sy Bisti, but that was hardly an excuse to even ignore queries that could be replied with a simple yes or no. Finally, two weeks in, Eli got his answer in the form of being told to kneel beside the bed in the master suite. 

Formbi went first, roughly fucking Eli’s mouth like his life depended on it, not even noticing when his ridges caught on pale white teeth. 

“Sit there, Eli. On your knees. And don’t move. I’ll restrain you if I have too, but if we could avoid it, I think that would benefit us all.” Formbi had said in that airy voice of his, waving his hands around as if he were just talking about the weather. 

Eli had flinched, reached out to grab Formbi’s hips, try and stop this, but Formbi had held true to his word. Eli’s hands were bound behind his back, tied off to one of the bedposts. 

“Open wider!” Formbi grunted after a particularly bad scrape, and Eli strained to comply, eyes squeezed shut in effort as his body trembled. Part of this felt familiar, but prodding into that familiarity felt warm and soft, and this was anything but. This was just terrible, and when Formbi came, three lumps forced themselves down his throat along with gushes of sour slick, making Eli gag. 

Formbi held himself within the human longer than needed, stroking himself to make sure every last drop was released. Finally pulling out, he turned to kiss his wife, whispering sweet things in a language Eli did not understand. 

Feni wiped Eli’s mouth clean with a cloth, tossing it aside once his lips were dry. Rather than a cock, Eli noticed, female Chiss had a slit from within a much thinner, prehensile member emerged. 

“Open up.” She encouraged the man, and Eli did as asked, not quite as wide as Formbi had needed. 

The slicked, pale pink colored appendage snaked its way into Eli’s mouth, prodding around until it found its throat. Slithering down, it rubbed along every surface until it was several inches in, the cold surface of it jarring. Then, Feni began to slowly thrust. The longer she went, the more the girth expanded until Eli was afraid he’d not be able to breath. Coughing around the member, Feni tapped him on the nose. “Use this.” 

Breathing through his nose, Eli could only take shallow breaths but it was better than trying to gag around her… whatever that was. 

With a bit of help from Formbi, his hands wandering to grasp at nipple-less, smooth breasts and anywhere else he could reach, Feni came, gushes of thin, cool liquid pouring from her into Eli. She evacuated the human without as much hesitation as her partner, knowing when she was finished. The appendage retracted back into its slid and the pair collapsed onto the bed, tangling limbs and kissing and speaking in whispers, again in the language Eli could not make heads or tails of. 

Sliding down to sit down, Eli assessed the damage, able to see a bit of protrusion at his midsection and feeling like he swallowed rocks. Above all else, he just wanted to shower. Testing the restraints, Eli found that the only way to break free of them would be to break his thumbs. And even if he did, he still had the tracking collar on. He was stuck, and better to not be punished further by escaping the bonds he was placed into. His first priority was to ignore the thoughts that haunted him, that there was more to life than this, being used as an accessory to another’s love life. He knew he’d known there was more… That he was worth more. But he couldn’t remember, and decided it would be easier to just accept the lot he was given, punished for crimes he didn’t recall committing. Maybe that _was_ the punishment, forcing someone to be oblivious to why they earned their sentence, but forced to endure it anyway. 

Formbi left him sitting there all night, eventually falling asleep in Feni’s arms and forgetting all about their impregnated surrogate sitting at the end of the bed. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning that this chapter contains themes of accidental hormone therapy via alien foods as well as talk of biological sex and such.

Eli eventually lost track of time, keeping count of the days just became too much to bear as reality set in. The longer he was there, the less he felt like a person and the more he started to consider himself part of the house’s decor. It didn’t help that Formbi and Feni spoke almost exclusively in Cheunh. He could guess the meaning of a few common words, but his only real companion became the datapad Formbi left sitting around. 

There was hardly anything on it in Sy Bisti, but the few translated news articles and subtitled holodramas he could procure helped quell his boredom a bit. Still, nothing about this situation could be considered a positive. Even his meals were heavily regulated now that he was… well. Pregnant. 

The morning after, he had been untied and led out to the kitchen where Feni had piled a plate high for him. It was honestly more food that Eli would even care to eat, but when he asked why Feni simply replied, “For more than just one.”

Right. He couldn’t finish it, but certainly ate more than he wanted to at the woman’s insistence. And as time wore on, Eli noticed more than just his midsection growing. His thighs were softer, the hollows of his cheeks filling out, and most noticeably his breasts grew, becoming tender. 

At first he pinned it on the food intake, which was getting ridiculous alongside his tummy’s growth. He could still see his toes, just barely, and at night his back ached from the added weight. But one day, while watching the same holodrama for the fiftieth time, he just couldn’t take the soreness anymore and opened his top, which was like a short robe and made of a cream-colored silken material, and massaged himself. 

Then, he felt a dribble of warm liquid on his hand. Thinking it to be blood, Eli jerked his hand away, but the fluid was not red. It was white. Setting the datapad aside, Eli stood up, awkwardly on shaking legs, and as calmly as he could muster started to walk to the refresher, not wanting to bother the two Chiss in the next room over. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he had to do something. 

“Stop.” 

Eli halted in his tracks, frozen to the spot. Had they seen? 

“Come here.” Feni commanded in her heavily accented Sy Bisti and Eli turned around, taking a tentative step towards where the woman lurked in the doorway. Formbi stood right behind her, assessing the human with a critical eye. 

“Do that again.” He said rather than asking, and Eli raised his hand again. 

“I’m not really sure what I did…” Eli blabbered, gently squeezing a breast that was swollen to the size of a fist, two slight mounds with a valley of short, downy brown hair between them. 

Feni reached out and tugged at the nipple, and as Eli winced at her harsh touch, a slight stream of white leaked out. “Curious.” She mused in Cheunh. 

“Very.” Formbi replied in the same language. “We should test it, see if it has any use.” 

“Agreed. Grab a cup for me so I can take a sample.” 

Formbi retreated into the room, coming back with a teacup, holding it under Eli’s breast as his wife roughly coerced more of the fluid out. Eli bit back a sob, not understanding what was happening and just wanting to fall onto the floor and curl up so small that they might not notice him. But he knew they would find him, if not for the fact he felt like he was the size of a Bantha, then through the tracking collar he was forced to wear. 

Switching to the other breast, Feni was able to tease out enough liquid to cover the bottom of the cup in a decent layer. “This should be enough. I will take it to my work tomorrow to run an analysis.” She informed her husband, taking the cup to the kitchen to cover and refrigerate. 

Alone with Eli, Formbi patted the human’s shoulder, the shirt having slipped down to sit at his elbows, his hands clasped under his stomach and keeping it from falling to the floor completely. Eli’s gaze was also at the ground, and he flinched at the touch. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you.” He muttered. “I can see why Thrawn was so enamored.” 

The words hit Eli like a truck. Thrawn, that man who had been so short with him at the hospital, thought what of him? He raised his gaze to meet Formbi’s eye, ready to ask a question, but instead Formbi just kissed him on the forehead, where doonium met skin. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.” And then he was gone as well. 

Eli, left alone yet again, migrated to the lounge chair that he’d been spending most of his time in, tying his shirt closed again before lowering down into the seat. He tried to start the holodrama again but found that he could not focus and ended up lost in his thoughts. Something was wrong here, terribly wrong, but he could not place it. The name Thrawn stuck out like neon lights, he knew where he had heard it before, but there had to be more than that. He knew there was. But he couldn’t remember. 

That night, Eli could not sleep for his thoughts ran rampant. Not sure what else to do, he wandered around the house, eventually finding himself in the kitchen. Above him, he heard the sound of a couple climbing madly atop one another, Formbi yowling in pleasure as his wife did something that sounded like it involved a leather belt. Good for them. 

He opened the fridge and stared at a single, unassuming tea cup, covered with a film and just waiting. A large part of Eli dind’t want to ‘get to the bottom of this’ as Formbi had said, and before he could doubt his decision, Eli poured all evidence of his accident, that’s what he was calling it now, down the drain. Looking down at his chest, all seemed to be in order, breasts still sore but not nearly as swollen. He gave his nipple a tentative pinch. His fingers came away dry and he gave a sigh of relief he didn’t even realize he’d been holding in. 

Formbi screamed loud enough to echo, and Feni laughed. Eli took that as his cue to leave, rinsing the cup out and wiping it dry before replacing it, with the film, in the refrigerator. Let them believe it had evaporated, or dried up, or whatever. 

Eventually, he fell asleep, but it was the sort of sleep that felt more like a blink and Eli awoke to a throbbing pain in his chest and a dry mouth. Wonderful. 

Sitting up, he stumbled to the kitchen for some water to find Formbi and Feni inspecting the empty cup. 

“Morning.” Eli muttered, not really wanting to be noticed but the routine being such a habit now he could not help himself as he squeezed around them to the sink. 

“Did you do this?” Formbi asked Eli as he filled a glass with water, brandishing the tea cup. 

“No.” Eli replied, taking a sip. 

“We noticed that you came down to the kitchen last night. Are you sure?” Formbi continued. 

“Was just getting water.” Eli responded, sitting down at the counter. 

“Then I guess we’ll need another sample.” 

Eli downed half of the water before replying. “None left. Was an accident.” 

Feni pointed to him, narrowing her eyes. “Then what is that?” Her Sy Bisti had been improving over the weeks, not that she was using it much. Seemed like she’d rather believe their vessel was more of an object than a sentient being. 

Looking down, Eli noticed two small wet spots on his shirt where his nipples brushed against the fabric. 

Feni unceremoniously pulled the sweater over the human’s head and, using the same tea cup, began to pull at his breasts which expressed the liquid more willingly. Eli gripped the arms of the chair, trying to focus on anything else in the room than what was happening. 

The pair shared a quick exchange in Cheunh and after she had drained both breasts, Feni covered the cup and left the house entirely, not wanting to wait any longer so that she could run the tests she desired. Formbi was also dressed and preparing to leave for the day. Before giving Eli his meal, however, he gripped the human’s chin tightly, forcing him to look up into glowing red eyes. 

“You drained it. Last night. I’ll see to it that not another drop goes to waste if we find any sort of use for your… Milk.” 

Eli kept his face as a defiant mask. Formbi squeezed his jaw tighter. “I will not have some human jeopardize this. Pull another stunt like that and I’ll set your collar so that you can’t even leave your bedroom. Understood?” 

Eli nodded despite the tight grip and Formbi released him, leaving five red marks in his fingers wake. 

Left with a plate of fruits and pastries alongside a dark purple vegetable puree he knew he’d have to finish for its nutritional value, Eli propped up his datapad, restarting the holodrama for yet another time and settled in. 

* * *

Formbi, having ended sessions for the day, entered his wife’s laboratory in one of the several research spires within the city. Coming up behind her, he sat his chin down on her shoulder. “Anything interesting?” 

“Very.” She said, peering down at a sample through a highly powered magnifying lense. “The fluid has a lot of nutritional components, things most needed for young.” 

“Ah, I forgot. The humans come from mammalian ancestors.” 

Feni chuckled. “This all makes much more sense, then. Why didn’t you tell me that we were using an evolved Sh’at beast to carry our children. I would not have purchased so much mut root to supplement.” 

“I told you, we don’t get to keep him after the delivery.” 

“A shame.” Feni turned from her work, pulling Formbi down into her lap where she placed a kiss at his temple. “But while we do have him, we should collect as much as we can. Keep it out of his reach since he seems to have such an aversion to his own milk.” 

Formbi ran a hand through his wives hair, loosening a short braid. “He should behave now, but you make a good point. Regardless, I do not want our children drinking it directly. It seems… unnatural.” 

Feni understood what her husband meant. “I’ll freeze the unused mut.” 

* * *

Exactly 7 months later, to the day, Thrawn approached Formbi, tracking him down in the halls of the Aristocra Chambers. 

“It has been 7 months, Chaf’orm’bintrano.” He started plainly, cornering the Aristocra in a stairwell. 

“As always a pleasure to see you as well, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. You look good.” Formbi thought the opposite in fact, the Chiss before him in a rumpled maroon tunic. His hair was disheveled, grown out to an awkward in-between length, stringy fringe hanging just above his eyes, and it was obvious he'd cut that himself to keep it out of his vision as the rest grew wildly. He’d not been taking care of himself, his eyes looking raw and his being having an air of desperation about it. 

“I have watched my crew be sent to their death. I could have joined them, protected them, had you not…” Thrawn’s words faltered as he glared at the man standing before him. 

“You would not have been able to stop what has already begun. It would have just been another unnecessary death.” Formbi smiled back, a practiced diplomatic mask. 

“Where is he?” Thrawn practically hissed. 

Formbi raised his hands, billowing sleeves hanging down elegantly as he tried to diffuse the situation. “He’s not ready yet. We waited to produce more before breeding him.” 

Thrawn’s shoulders tensed. “You put more than one in him? Are you insane?” 

“He’ll be fine.” 

“Then how do you suppose he’s going to pass two?” 

“Three actually.” Thrawn nearly pinned Formbi into the wall. “We’ve already scheduled a routine ISR.” 

An ISR. Incision Seed Removal. A long cut to remove the offspring manually rather than letting them pass through natural passages. Thrawn should have expected it, seeing how inflexible the human body was, but the news still stung. Another unnecessary and unnatural altercation. 

“I want to see him.” Thrawn retorted, his face flaring up with heat. 

“Are you positive about that? He’s not in a most attractive state.” 

“All the more reason I want to check up on him.” 

Formbi shrugged, it was no skin off his back. He’d not been starving or mistreating the human terribly. Besides, he’d bet that Feni could take the man in a fight. “Very well. You are welcome to join us for dinner.” 

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll just take a minute.” 

* * *

Thrawn arrived to the house in the evening and was welcomed inside by Feni. Formbi was holding a tall glass full of pale purple liquid. “Ah, I was just going to give this to Eli. You can come with me.” 

Walking upstairs, Formbi continued. “He’s been bedridden for a few weeks now, you know how it is at the end, but we’ve ensured he gets around to where he needs to go. Refresher and such.” 

Thrawn wished Formbi would just shut up, not a single thing he’d said had made him feel any better about this. Maybe that was the point of it. Really hammer in how badly he’d fucked up. 

“Hello, Eli. Remember Thrawn?” Formbi said as they entered a well appointed bedroom. He passed the glass onto Eli who took a short sip as he appraised the Chiss following Formbi in. 

“Yeah. Sort of. Hello again.” 

Thrawn looked Eli over, every synapse in his brain screaming for him to run. He was covered by a thick blanket, sitting up in bed to drink whatever that was, it appeared to be mut root but thinned with something else. He simply nodded, mouth suddenly stuck together, unwilling to move. Formbi sat on the side of the bed, resting a hand on Eli’s stomach, which stuck out like a huttball against his relatively thin frame. Even by human standards, Eli had been considered small, but among the Chiss he was especially so. 

“Is that all you are feeding him?” Thrawn finally snapped in Cheunh. 

“Of course not.” The answer came from behind him. “But you know how healthy mut root is for young.” Feni stood in the doorway, forcing Thrawn fully into the room. She had a smaller cup of it in her hands. “We are experimenting with natural supplements as well, for the human’s well-being.” 

She offered the glass to Thrawn. “Thought you might be curious. Try it.” 

Thrawn knew neither Chiss particularly liked him, but was certain they’d not poison him. Ever since his exile he’d been out of their way, lost all power, so it would not serve any purpose to suddenly have a murder investigation on their hands. So, he took a sip. 

It had the nutty flavor of mut, but was also creamy, thinned to a smoother consistency by their supposed natural supplements. 

“How are you doing?” Formbi asked, breaking the silence by addressing Eli in Sy Bisti. Up until that point, the human had just frowned at the visitor. 

“Little sore, if I’m being honest.” Eli admitted. “If Thrawn is done… doing whatever he is here to do, I’d like him to leave.” 

Thrawn took his cue, turning away and stepping around Feni. Formbi’s smirk did not escape Eli’s gaze. “What’s that about?” 

“Oh, nothing. Now let’s see about that soreness.” Pulling the blanket down, Formbi revealed a bare chest. 

Thrawn immediately regretted turning back to see white fluid being expressed from a deep red nipple. Looking down into his half finished glass, he bolted down the hall, testing two doors before finding a refresher. 

After his system removed the offending substance, Thrawn nearly throttled Formbi, rearing a clenched fist against the taller man. His punch, however, was held back by Feni who was taller still, and well built, taking pride in honing both her mind and body as many Chiss did. 

“What the hell did you do to him?” Thrawn roared, fighting against the woman’s choke hold around his neck. 

“Nothing! It just happened! Some sort of side effect to being pregnant!” Formbi quickly sputtered, taking a step back into a closed door. 

“Human males do not just start doing… that!” Thrawn retorted, spitting on the Aristocra with the intensity of his words. 

Formbi wiped his cheek with his sleeve. “I don’t know what to tell you.” 

“I want to know everything he’s been eating, drinking, exposed to. All of it.” 

Feni sighed. “Tomorrow I have off, but I will take you to my laboratory to run diagnostics on his meal plan, if that will sate you.” 

Thrawn inhaled deeply, stopping his struggling. Feni released the choke hold, but kept a hand on his wrist even as his hand went down. Thrawn shook his arm out of the grip, turning away. “Fine. I will meet you in the spire.” 

Feni added, before the other Chiss disappeared down the hall. “And please, don’t come here and assault my husband again. Next time, I will press charges.” 

* * *

The next day, Feni ran diagnostics on everything Eli had eaten in the past months, from pastries to fruits to, most importantly, the mut root. What they found put everything into perspective. Many foods that the Chiss provided Eli to eat, rather standard fare for the species, had high levels of human hormones. Mut root in particular had incredibly high readings on female hormones. 

“You’ve been giving him hormones of the opposite sex for months.” Thrawn huffed. “No wonder he’s…” 

“Lactating?” Feni offered, intrigued by their findings. Chiss’ ancestors were reptilian, cold blooded creatures that laid eggs with hard shells. Over time, the ability to lay such eggs that grew externally was replaced with organs that could regulate internal temperature as the species was evolved into. But, lactation was never something Chiss were capable of, and the discovery that humans of either sex could be coaxed into this action was fascinating to Feni. 

“You need to change his diet. Switch to foods higher in male hormones. He did not choose to be… Changed.” Thrawn said with an air of finality. 

Feni simply laughed. “What matters to me is the health of my children, not some human who you happen to fancy. When he is in my care, I will feed him what I wish to feed him. After the ISR, do what you will.” 

“And how much longer until that?” 

“Not much longer now. The check-in will be next week, then it is a matter of waiting for movement. Then he’ll be surrendered back to the Admiralty for the memory core treatment.” 

Thrawn nodded, standing up from his seat at a computer console where the results were displayed. “Very well.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick TW, after the first section separation, there is description of blood and vague details about a medical procedure that is rather intense. If that isn’t for you, skip down to the next section marker, it is not brought up again.

Thrawn did not want to attend the ISR procedure, in fact he barely listened to Formbi’s invitational message, unable to stand the grating sound of the Aristocra’s voice through the comm. He was at least relieved that the whole ordeal was finally reaching its end, so that kept his temper sated, mostly, as he switched the comm off and tossed it aside. As the metal device bounced off a cushioned chair and clattered to the stone floor, Thrawn just watched. 

“Was that not the news you wished to hear?” The female Chiss sitting across from him in the living space asked in an airy tone, datapad resting forgotten on her lap. 

Thrawn frowned. “The only news I would like to hear is that my crew survived and Eli’s memory has been restored. But that is impossible.” He’d gotten the confirmation a little over a week prior, just after his visit with Formbi in fact. The craft his crew was assigned to had been shot down before it even reached the colony worlds by insurgents, which were promptly dealt with by an orbital strike. Thrawn sourly wondered if his crew had simply been used as bait so that a strike could be justified and launched. 

“Your former crew, you mean.” The woman corrected unhelpfully. “You cannot blame yourself for their deaths, Mitth’raw’nuruodo, regardless of the circumstance. It was their choice to come.” 

Thrawn’s hands gripped the arms of his chair tensely. “I should have left them all on Batuu. I promised them a better life here, and they were treated more poorly than in the Empire!” 

“The Empire would execute them all for treason. They were given that chance here. It is unfortunate that the insurgents preemptively striked.” 

Thrawn twitched at the word. He was developing all kinds of ticks and tells, and tensed his entire body into a mask of impassiveness that would not even trick a young child. The anger practically radiated on his body, but his lips remained firmly pursed shut. 

The woman continued. “If you like, you can consider their sacrifice a sort of martyrdom. Many lives are now safer with the insurgents gone. Of course, a more diplomatic solution would have been preferable…” 

“That is not what happened.” Thrawn grunted. The woman hardly reacted. 

“We cannot change the past. But we can shape our futures, and the futures of those around us. To an extent.” She offered, a silent timer flashing on her pad which she dismissed without even looking down. “Meditate on this as you await your future, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. I am sending some guided practices to your pad, I recommend you devote an hour of your morning and evening to them.” Continuing to tap away, she finally looked down. A small whooshing noise signaled the files had been transmitted. 

“I will view them, thank you Doctor.” Thrawn responded, rising to his feet only after the woman stood. She forced a smile that practically dripped in pity. 

“Good. Please call for me if you require further assistance, but this is your last mandatory session.” 

With a curt nod, Thrawn opened the door to let the woman, a psychological therapist, out. After his brush-up with Formbi, the Aristocra had followed up by ordering three of these sessions for the former commander, instructing a focus on self control. From what Thrawn could gather, Formbi had not filed charges, as he said, and had claimed that Thrawn was suffering from traumatic stress. Frankly, he’d not deny the accusation. 

The meetings themselves had been excruciating, the therapist more calculating than helpful, but the access he’d gained to resources had been helpful, and he did fully intend to look into the mediation practices. He thought he might double, or even triple her orders just to kill time. 

Time. It was the only thing Thrawn found he had in abundance, that and anxiety. And regrets. He was told to find a positive and let it guide him like the stars guided the first planetary explorers. But his only positive, the chance to have his Eli back, not a reprogrammed drone or ghost in the body of his lover, only made him feel guilty. 

Yes, this was his greatest desire. But what if that was not what Eli wanted. He’d not stoop to Formbi’s level, forcing himself onto the man. It would have to just grow from friendship and kindness and care. And what if it never happened at all? If Eli was truly lost, and all that remained were the corrupted ghosts of memories. 

Not wanting to linger, Thrawn picked a random practice from the list he’d received, turned the volume on, and closed his eyes, sinking back into the chair and following instructions to release tension held in the jaw, the shoulders, the heart… 

* * *

Eli, human male. 

Face, half metallic, contorted in pain, tears falling down his cheeks like rain, throat raw from screaming. 

Red. Blood splattering as an incision is made. Veins cut open. 

Gasping for air, convulsing. 

Cursing, shouting. 

_He needs more bacta!_

Desperation. A tube stuck down the mouth that silently gaped. Air. 

_Don’t harm the children!_

A heartbeat slowing as three lives are extracted. 

A father’s sigh of relief, a mother’s cry of joy. 

A human dying. 

_It’s the damn implants! He’s going into shock!_

_Can we remove them?_

_Only one way to find out._

Scalpel traded for a saw. Gagging and thrashing and more red. More blood. 

_Put him under, there is no longer a risk of harming the babies._

Bright, dim, dark. Black. A single red light blinking. 

Buzzing and cutting and gone. The light dies. 

Nothing.

Nothing. 

Nothing. 

_The operation is complete._

A twitch. A cough. A breath drawn. 

_Not a word of what has happened leaves this room._

* * *

“There was no need for a memory wipe, as you will see. Or rather, it was not possible on an organic mind. Stem cells were extracted from his spinal cord to regenerate what was needed, and all is in order. Sort of a blank slate for you to groom, I know how much you like that type of thing.” Formbi’s voice chimed over the comm, some interference indicating that he was in transit. Thrawn did not respond outside of acknowledging the message was received. 

Thrawn closed out of the meditation practice, it was time. Eli was on his way, and once again he was different. Perhaps, this time, it would be for the better. He paced his quarters, set in a residential spire in the historic section of the city, a bit ironic really. When the door chimed, Thrawn centered himself as he’d been practicing, loosening clenched fists and thinking thoughts that were not wrestling Formbi into submission. Another outburst in front of Eli would not be ideal to starting with a clean slate. 

Keying open the doorway, only Formbi was there, and Thrawn’s fists twitched. “Where is he?” 

Formbi raised his hands, gesturing behind him with a sweeping motion of yellow silks. “He’s asleep. Will be for another day or two. Such extensive work will take time to heal, but he was cleared to be taken from the medical center. I’ll take you to him.” 

Walking out the the level’s parking deck, Thrawn found two legs sticking up out of the back of a speeder, pants hiked up from gravity to reveal brown ankles. Without hesitation, Thrawn approached the vehicle. About a quarter of Eli’s head had been shaved, even his brow and lashes missing from the left side. There was hardly any other evidence of the former cybernetics, not even a seam where new skin met old. 

Eli seemed at peace, breathing softly in the back seat, body at a slight odd angle from being driven around and sliding off the bench. Thrawn could cry. And he did, scooping the smaller human in his arms. He felt lighter, nearly the same weight he had been when they’d first met at the academy. Then, Eli had been a scrap of a man, thin and perpetually hunched over, never sure of his next step. 

But things were not exactly the same. A few grey hairs hidden in the mess of brown locks, a solid half inch longer than the regulation Eli had meticulously kept up with now. Delicate creases at the corners of his eyes that cinched up when he laughed. Thrawn had not seen those sweet lines in what felt like a century. After placing a kiss to Eli’s cool forehead, Thrawn delicately lifted him into his arms and left, wordlessly. 

Formbi was wise to not speak up seeing that Eli was not conscious to witness what Thrawn was itching to do should another syllable escape the Aristocra’s lips. 

Over the next day, Thrawn contemplated how he would greet Eli when he awakened. Ultimately, he decided on the truth. 

He hardly left the bedroom, he only had one, sitting on the chair in the corner or on the edge of the bed, but Thrawn could not bring himself to lie next to Eli. He meditated, practiced what he would say, never quite finding words he was pleased with. Thrawn hoped that in the moment, he’d rise to the occasion. 

So, when Eli began to stir, muttering under his breath and dragging an arm out of the covers to rub at his missing brow, Thrawn stood where he was on the edge of the mattress. Two gorgeous brown eyes flicked open, taking in the sparse room before landing on the only available focal point. Thrawn. 

“I… Please, where am I?” 

Thrawn had not anticipated a question, and chastised himself for not being prepared. Regardless, words poured from his mouth as water falls from an overfilled vessel. “You are in my home. My name is Mitth’raw’nuruodo. You may call me Thrawn. May I ask yours?” 

After shifting a bit, sitting up on his elbows, he replied. “Umm… It’s Eli Vanto. Just Eli works, though.” Eli cocked his head, eyes tracing the shape of Thrawn’s face. 

Thrawn had so much he had prepared to say, but now, with that appraising gaze on him, he was afraid to even move an inch. Eli knew his name, not DT-3548. His voice sounded as Thrawn had remembered, the Lysatran drawl lingering on his vowels. 

“And your home is where?” Eli finally asked after long seconds passed. 

“We are currently in the Chiss Ascendancy, where my people come from.” 

Eli nodded, taking the information in. “I take it you mean we’re a long way from Myomar?” 

Myomar? Why Myomar? Thrawn’s own mind raced. He remembered, so far, his name, his former and first Imperial Academy, and his accent. 

“I’m sorry if I’ve inconvenienced you, take it the away mission went a little screwy to end up this far out.” 

Was Eli returning to… No… Impossible. “Do you remember anything about the away mission?” 

Eli rubbed his chin as he thought. “Hm… We left the academy on the Strikefast to poke around in the outer rim, and then… Kriff I don’t recall the next part. Something must have really gone wrong, huh?” Then, Eli’s eyes widened. “Wait. Did you say _Chiss_ Ascendancy?” 

“I did.” 

“Fuck, you are real.” 

Thrawn smiled thinly. “Very real.” So this would be, as Formbi put it, a blank slate. But a slate that was the Eli he’d fallen for once and would surely fall for again, if Eli would have him. But that was not something that would happen overnight. It would take care and nurturing and, most of all, Eli’s own interest in him. 

“Chiss are the stuff of legend, back home on Lysatra I mean. We had myths about you.” 

“I’d like to hear them.” Thrawn replied quickly. Too quickly. 

Eli began to blush. “Some of them are… not very kind. You seem pretty nice, so know that they aren’t true stories. Are you sure you want to know?” 

“I’d still like to hear them. You can learn a great deal about people from the stories they tell.” 

Shrugging, Eli figured why not, and began spinning a tale of a hunter who was bested by a blue shadow until he learned how to hunt the shadow by using mirrors to reflect light where the dark being lurked. 

This was not a story Thrawn had heard before, and he was intrigued by the new choice. 

Eli quickly grew fatigued, however, still recovering. So, after a small meal, Thrawn left Eli in the bedroom. 

Thrawn retired to the couch, falling asleep with his datapad in his hands, having tried to type every word that had been spoken. 

* * *

“Thrawn? Thrawn?”

Red eyes slid open to look up at the human who had awakened him, simple grey day clothes rumpled from sleeping in them. 

“Good morning, Eli.” Thrawn breathed more than spoke, sitting up and ignoring a popping in his shoulder. 

“I never got to ask you… How did we end up here?” 

Thrawn patted the cushion beside him, and Eli sat next to the Chiss. “It is a very long story, and I will not spare a single detail.” 

Eli sat quietly, only interjecting for clarification when something was especially convoluted. Thrawn concluded with him laying Eli in his bed, then waiting for him to awaken. 

Silently, Eli slumped back further in the plush couch. “I… I need a moment to process all of this.” 

“I understand. I will prepare a meal for us.” 

As he toasted some bread, Eli turned around and added, “you didn’t need to tell me everything. I can’t believe some of this stuff. According to you, I was brainwashed twice, given a new brain, and... And I was pregnant?!” Eli’s voice grew in volume as he spoke, Thrawn wincing as he buttered the toast. 

“I really should hate you for all that you put me through. All I wanted was a quiet life as a supply officer.” 

Thrawn looked down to realize he’d driven the knife straight through the bread. He put a new slice into the toaster, putting the broken one onto his plate. 

“Yet, your intention in all of this… I can’t. You’re a good man, Thrawn. I guess I just got the ass-end of the deal.” 

Silence passed between them, only the hum of the appliance cutting through it. 

“You can talk, you know.” Eli said shortly. 

“I think I’ve done enough talking for this morning. I am sorry to have been the cause of your mistreatment.” 

Thrawn hid himself by digging around in the cooling unit for green milk that he knew exactly where it was but continued shuffling fruits around. 

“No, it’s not entirely your fault. Well, the initial bit is. But after my three-year enlistment, I could have left at any time. Yet I didn’t. I stayed by your side. Thrawn, I loved you.” 

“It was the kind of love that would drive a being mad to have then loose.” Thrawn dropped the milk container, and it accentuated his point. 

“I wish I remembered it. It sounds… Indescribable. The risks we took for each other. The kind of devotion we had.” 

There was something on the tip of Thrawn’s tongue as he wiped up the milk. That perhaps they could have it again. But his throat was tight and his grip on the towel was even tighter. 

“You never gave up on me, Thrawn. Never.” 

He tried to hide it, but a sob escaped Thrawn, the milk soaking the knees of his pants as the soaked towel pushed it around. 

Eli squatted behind the Chiss, spindly warm arms wrapping around his core. Resting the side of his head against Thrawn, the left side, it was soft and moving and alive and real. “I won’t make you give up now.” 

“Eli- I.” Thrawn whimpered. His body shook as he tried to stay still, and his mind lit up like fire. Eli was pressed up against him yet still so incredibly far away. He was right, Eli should hate him. But… He didn’t? 

“Shh. Like you said, you’ve talked enough. I want to learn through experience, not just history, what it is about you that had me seeing stars.” 

Eli pulled another towel down to finish soaking up the milk. The toast popped up, charred black. They both laughed, and Eli ripped the mauled toast into rough halves after seeing that only the heel of the loaf remained. 

“This seems like the Thrawn you spoke about.” Eli commented lightly, poking the Chiss in the cheek when he minutely grinned at the debacle. 

Thrawn took small bites as he blushed at the sudden rush of contact, trying to settle the storm brewing inside him. It would not cease, but he had reached the eye of the hurricane, a small calm in the chaos. 

Eli smiled up at him, a bit of crumb on his chin and a determination in his eyes, and Thrawn grounded himself on the hope that overwhelmed him in waves. Regardless of the outcome, Eli was here, and although he did not remember Thrawn, he was willing to learn just who Thrawn is. And maybe, just maybe, he’d realize that the fire they once had would still spark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearly at the end now... I’d debated what direction to take this final leg, but decided that they had earned a softer finale after the wringer I put them through in these works. Let me know how you think this could/should end, one chapter to go!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one kind of bloomed out of hand, so I've divided it into 2 parts. Enjoy the flower at the end of a very thorny vine!

Knowing they would be stuck inside the apartment as Eli regained his strength, Thrawn tried to find things to keep them busy. Teaching Eli Cheunh turned out to be the most time consuming, and mentally exhausting task for the duo to undertake. Thrawn noticed that Eli was much slower at picking up the words and committing them to memory than the first time he’d begun teaching the man the language on the Chimaera. He pondered if it had anything to do with the fact that half of his brain had been replaced with material grown from his own cells, untrained even if identical to the original matter. 

Eventually, as Eli took one of several hour long daily naps, Thrawn decided to begin subtitling some popular Chiss holodramas in Sy Bisti. The teaching tool proved to be effective and less taxing on them both. Several days into their habit of watching the latest episode of “Glacier Station Twelve”, a show chronicling the antics and struggles of a remote research team, Thrawn noticed that Eli had migrated from his own chair to the long couch on which Thrawn sat. It took much of the Chiss’ self control to not close the distance, but he promised himself that he’d let Eli set the pace on whatever might happen. 

That evening, Eli sat in the center of the piece of furniture, body nearly swallowed in the large sweatshirt Thrawn had offered him the first day when the human expressed that the climate was a bit cooler than he was used to. His heels were sitting on the edge of the couch, kneed hugged to his torso, and Thrawn could not help but to stare. The colorful glow of the holodrama reflected in his eyes and when Eli laughed at some gag in the show, Thrawn thought he might cry. 

“Hey, everything ok?” Eli asked in Cheunh and Thrawn realized he’d been caught. 

“Oh, yes I’m alright. You should say it like ‘is everything ok’.” Thrawn covered, emphasizing the missing word to which Eli just shrugged and snuggled down further into the thick material. 

“Noted.” 

The rest of the show played out and then the credits rolled. Eli stretched his legs out and raised his arms up over his head with a yawn. “I’m going to use the ‘fresher.” 

Eli had essentially taken over Thrawn’s room at this point, his clothes and toiletries taking up the prime real estate of the counter top and wardrobe. Thrawn had moved most of his things into the refresher medicine cabinet and storage chest that also served as the caf table in the living room. He really didn’t mind, used to tight quarters on ships in both the CEDF and Empire. In fact, it was strange having such distance between him and his roommate, but he knew it was necessary. 

Hearing the water begin to run, Thrawn ventured into his former bedroom to pick up his datapad off the charging station that was embedded into the wall, space saving favored over customizability in this apartment. Noticing Eli had left his dirty clothes piled in the corner of the room, Thrawn gathered them and took them into the kitchen for washing, the dish washer also serving dual purpose as a laundromat. As he opened the door, however, Thrawn got a whiff of what could only be described as sour milk from the clothes. Inspecting further, he found that the sweatshirt had been the offending garment, the inside still a bit damp. 

With a sigh Thrawn set the cycle to high power and put some extra detergent into the load. How could he have forgotten, and to think Eli was trying to hide it from him. It was true that the man was incredibly thin, body completely drained of all the extra weight he’d put on in the first 6 months by the last month of the pregnancy which was the most taxing on the body. In theory, the eggs could be safely removed after just those first 6 months, but it was safer to keep them in for the seventh to protect the fragile forms from the cold and other harmful factors, and Formbi certainly would err on the side of caution. 

There had been another by-product of the pregnancy however, or rather the diet provided to Eli by Formbi and Feni, and that was still visible in slightly swollen breasts. Thrawn had not even stopped to consider that after the ISR and removal of mut root from Eli’s diet that the lactation would continue. But that seemed to be the case, and Eli was doing everything in his power to hide it from Thrawn. 

For just a moment Thrawn felt offended that Eli had not trusted him with this. But of course he had wanted to keep it a secret. It was probably both embarrassing and degrading to the human male. Recalling his visit in Eli’s final weeks with the seed, it was probably also causing Eli some discomfort. And he was managing it all on his own. 

The refresher went quiet and a few minutes later Eli’s voice called out across the apartment. “Where’d my clothes go?” 

“I’m washing them.” Thrawn replied truthfully. Eli knew there were a few more pairs for him in the room, but no other outerwear. 

“Oh, um. I’m going to lay down now, rest.” 

It was certainly not Eli’s usual nap time, and Thrawn suspected that as soon as the laundry was completed and delivered, Eli would wake back up. He knew it was unwise to pry, but could not help himself from lingering in the bedroom’s doorway as Eli hunkered down under a thick comforter. 

“You know I am happy to assist you in any way you need, yes?” Thrawn asked. 

Eli nodded. “Yeah, I know. And I appreciate all you’re doing for me.” 

“Is there anything that is not being attended to?” Thrawn pressed, Eli squirming deeper under the covers, hesitating. 

“Uh. No?” 

Thrawn didn’t reply, but he also didn’t budge. 

Eventually, Eli closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. “You saw it. On the sweatshirt. I can handle it myself. If my cousin is anything to go off of it’ll dry up in a few weeks.” Thrawn did not budge. “I’m fine, really.” 

Thrawn sat on the edge of the bed. “Is it causing you discomfort?” 

Eli sat up a bit, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around his chest as he propped his shoulders up on a stack of pillows. “Sometimes, yeah, but I figured out how to… Relieve it.” 

“If you…” 

Eli interrupted Thrawn. “I’ll ask, don’t worry. But right now I think it's best if I handle it myself.” 

Not wanting to push the man, who was obviously uncomfortable, further, Thrawn stood up, the bed creaking a bit at the loss of weight. 

“Wait.” 

Thrawn froze as Eli’s arm shot out and grabbed the nearest wrist. “I, um. I’m sorry for not telling you. Probably should, seeing you’re trying to help me.” 

“Your body is yours Eli.” 

“I know. But how can I expect to get better if I’m keeping all these secrets?” Eli smiled weakly, and Thrawn returned the gesture. “I’d like you to stay here with me for a bit, if that’s alright?” 

Thrawn opened his mouth, but again Eli spoke more quickly, this time in Cheunh, repeating the statement from earlier in the proper syntax. “Everything is ok. I just want to be near you.” 

So, Thrawn lay in his bed for the first time quite some time, beside Eli but on top of the comforter, not wanting to overstep. Eli slid back down to a lying position and soon his breaths evened out, but his body was not entirely still. Every now and then an arm or a leg would flail out, knocking away the blanket bit by bit. Thrawn realized he was not wearing a shirt, and his chest looked raw, scratched at and chafed. In fact, there were a few red lines where it looked like Eli had pressed too hard, cutting open the skin. Small bruises peppered the dark skin like spots on an akk dog and Thrawn realized he was shaking. 

Without thinking, he slammed open the medicine cabinet and grabbed an all purpose skin balm he generally used after staying outside too long, the cold winds of Csilla unforgiving even to her native residents. Squeezing a liberal amount onto the palm of his hands, Thrawn applied it to the angry flesh. 

Groggy, Eli’s eyes opened slowly. He muttered some nonsense, then shot up like a loth-bat out of hell. “What the fuck are you doing?” 

Thrawn realized with dawning horror that he’d violated literally everything they’d just talked about regarding Eli handling it himself and not doing things in secret. Ashamed of himself, Thrawn’s shoulders slumped. “I could not help myself…” 

Grabbing the blanket, Eli hiked it back up to cover himself, eyes narrowed. “I told you that it was my problem. Not yours. Just get out.” His voice was remarkably firm, contrasting how rattled the Chiss across from him was. 

Closing the bedroom door behind him, Thrawn did as he asked, washing his hands in the kitchen sink. He washed his face to try and hide the fact that tears were already beginning to wet it. The laundry announced that it was finished with a beep and Thrawn busied himself by folding the fabrics, leaving what was Eli’s on the counter by the bedroom door. 

Hearing the Chiss’ footsteps nearby, Eli opened the bedroom door. “Thrawn.” 

“Yes?” He responded, keeping his back facing the human. 

“Can you come back here? I need to tell you something.” 

Thrawn complied but lingered again in the doorway as Eli collected the laundry, but did not put it on. 

“After you told me what had happened, that first day, I had my suspicions but it wasn’t until it started to hurt the next day that it dawned on me that I really was… yeah.” Eli began, leaning up against the bedpost with his arms folded across a bare torso, forcing his breasts together and looking even larger pressed against one another. They had a glistening quality to them from the balm that Thrawn was subconsciously relieved to see remained on the skin. Thrawn also noticed that wrinkled stretch marks ran around his stomach, the skin a bit loose forming a hollow paunch above the waistband of his pants. Mostly, though, Thrawn kept his gaze glued to Eli’s eyes, listening intently. 

“I’ll admit I freaked out a little. A lot, really. There was a lot of scratching… I was upset because, well, how else can you react to feeling like you woke up 10 years later with no recollection of that time, with some grey hair and karking tits to boot! So, you can imagine I was already frustrated and then leaking milk just pushed me over the edge.” Eli sighed, his hands coming to rest on his hips. “I feel like an abomination Thrawn. And I know we have history, that you put me on some pedestal for the person you knew. But look at me!” 

Pinching his hip for emphasis, Eli tugged at the loose skin. “I… Who the hell even am I anymore?” 

Thrawn did not immediately answer, which was probably for the best. 

“Yeah, I don’t know either.” 

“Then I suppose we just have to figure this out.” 

“We?” Eli laughed. “Yeah I guess we’re pretty much stuck in this together. And you know the funny part? I like you. A lot. You’re interesting and caring and, seven hells, handsome too. You’re making me feel things I don’t remember ever feeling, but probably used to the first time I fell for you, and it’s happening again because despite it all I can’t help loving you.” 

Taking a step forward, and then another, Eli pressed himself up against Thrawn, reaching up to tilt the taller Chiss’ face down to meet his own, their noses just inches apart. “Who even are we?” 

Thrawn shook his head. “I don’t know.” 

“Me either.” 

And then they kissed, a deep and needing kiss that led to Thrawn straddling atop the human on the bed, tearing away pants and groping his ass. Eli responded in kind, tugging on deeply blue hair and wrapping a leg around his quickly made naked torso. Tracing along chiseled abs, Eli hummed contentedly. “Stars you are pretty.” 

“Takes one to know one.” Thrawn teased, nuzzling into the crook of Eli’s neck and cherishing the familiar gesture. It was finally happening, and Thrawn had half a mind to pinch himself to make sure it was not a dream. A slicked hand, scooping excess of the shining balm that had gathered in the valley of his chest, gripped Thrawn’s hardening member and the Chiss could have come on the spot, emitting a growling moan into Eli’s shoulder and biting down. 

Eli gasped as sharp teeth dug into his skin, tightening his grip in Thrawn’s hair and stroking his cock, the ridges he knew would feel glorious penetrating him. Canting his hips up, Eli huffed out his desires and Thrawn lined himself up with Eli’s entrance. 

His pace was relentless, and something clicked in his mind when he came with only a gush of come. This time around there would be no hiding, no sacrifices, no secrets. They were not doing this for any reason other than out of love and desire, and as his orgasm wore down, Thrawn cried again. 

Eli pulled Thrawn down beside him, curling up into the larger man and stroking his back, peppering his cheek with soft kisses. “It’s ok, Thrawn. That felt amazing.” 

“It did…” Thrawn said through the tears, trying to compose himself. “I’m just very happy.” 

Scooting in closer, Eli kissed the tip of Thrawn’s nose. “Awww. It’s ok, let it out.” 

Obeying orders, Thrawn pulled Eli nearer still in his strong arms, so tight his muscles quaked. “We’ll be safe. I promise.” 

“I know, Thrawn.” 


	6. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the fluff you have all been waiting for... Thank you for joining me on this wild ride of a fic and I hope you enjoy the concluding chapter! Please let me know what you think after reading <3

“The botanical gardens are kept quite hot you know.” Thrawn stated simply as Eli ogled as his wardrobe choice. A thick, floor length coat for the speeder drive to their destination was layered on top of a thin cropped shirt that exposed the Chiss’ abdomen, tight red pants, and not much else. 

“You’re a show off, you know that?” Eli responded as he slid a short sleeved turtleneck sweater over his head, layered on high waisted pants. “Besides, your definition of warm is not quite the same as mine.” 

Thrawn just shrugged. “Fair enough.” 

Eli had been looking forward to this date since they had picked the location of their first voyage back out into society at large. He was finally confident that he’d be able to travel beyond the apartment complex without overtaxing himself, and the botanical gardens offered some level of heat, places to rest, and of course beauty. 

Taking the human’s hand into his own after he slipped into his own outerwear, Thrawn offered a genuine smile. “Ready?” 

“Absolutely.” 

The gardens proved to be just as lovely as the holonet site had promised, if even more so. Plants with leaves and vines in every color of the rainbow exploded in a lush burst of life within colorfully stained transparisteel walls. And Eli was right in that his idea of warm was definitely not the Chiss definition and was glad that his shirt was made of a significantly thicker material than Thrawn’s ridiculous ensemble. In fact, Thrawn even tied his hair up in a short ponytail to get it off his neck and try to stay cool. 

Mid-way through their stroll, Eli noticed the Chiss tense up, stepping in front of Eli and stopping their progress. “What’s wrong?” Eli asked, but the yellow-clad answer to his question walked across the path ahead. Thrawn emitted a high, breathy sound Eli could only categorize as a hiss. Resting his hands on raised shoulders, Eli massaged them with a firm grip. “Let it go, Thrawn.” 

Formbi took notice of the other pair and Feni had the gall to wave at them, her other hand resting in the small of her husband’s back. A husband who was pushing a triple-long carriage, canopy pulled down to hide its contents but both men knew what it contained. Thrawn scowled, baring his teeth, and Feni seemed to wink up at him, although they were too far away to truly tell. 

“Come on, let’s go the other way.” Eli offered, and Thrawn stiffly nodded. It took stumbling upon an inlaid mosaic in a short wall covered in ice-white orchids to calm the Chiss, Eli leaning against the stone as Thrawn squatted down to inspect the art installation. 

“Looks like whoever made this put a lot of value on teamwork and community.” Eli noted, running his hand along a jade tile that jutted out a bit more than the others surrounding it. 

“Yes… I was about to come to the same conclusion. How did you know that?” Thrawn asked, now much more interested in the human beside him than the art. 

“I… I don’t know. You can just tell. Like, look, all the people are facing the same way, and even though it would even out the composition, the figures are grouped together on that side instead of being spread out. It seems like that could be their home in the distance behind them, where the bare side is the wild.” 

Thrawn nodded. “Precisely. You are always full of surprises, my love.” Offering Eli his hand, the human took it with a grin as Thrawn brought it to thin lips to kiss delicately. 

“Have to keep you on your toes is all.” This earned a laugh from both parties and with the encounter with the other Chiss long forgotten, they enjoyed the gardens until a guard informed them the facility was closing. 

“If I were not on such thin ice with… The entire ascendancy, I would say we could hide behind the mosaic and spend the night.” Thrawn offered as they passed through the main gate. 

“Ah, if only we weren’t a war criminal and an alien.” Eli joked. “Besides, you promised me dinner and I didn’t see any fruit trees in there.” 

“Very well.” Thrawn agreed, snaking his arm around Eli and pulling him close after replacing his own coat and assisting Eli into his. “I hope you don’t mind one small detour, however.” 

“I suppose my stomach can wait.” Eli agreed, and Thrawn opened the speeder door for his partner. After a short ride, Thrawn parked on the top of one of the older spires in the historic district, built of clay bricks rather than duracrete. 

“When I was younger, I would come here to think. Normally using the stairs, but I think that flying is much more efficient, given the option.” Thrawn commented, delicately wrapping an arm around Eli’s shoulders. The smaller man hoisted himself over the center console to sit comfortably on Thrawn’s lap. 

“The view’s nice.” Eli commented, their speeder pointed to a gap between taller spires to give an aerial view of the gardens they’d just left, the transparent ceiling allowing them to look down into it. 

“Yes, and it's very quiet. As you saw, the gardens are fairly busy.” 

Eli chuckled, they’d barely ran into a dozen folks all day, but knowing Thrawn he was sure that was a dozen people too many for the Chiss. “Yes, just crawling with the hustle and bustle of the inner city.” 

Thrawn rolled his eyes but laughed at the exaggeration. “Regardless it’s more private up here.” 

“No kidding.” Eli commented, his voice dropping lower, the words drawling out and curling around Thrawn like a hot summer breeze. Despite this, the Chiss shivered. “What did you say about not needing to dress for the cold?” Eli teased. Thrawn kissed the back of his neck, and Eli twisted around to reciprocate the gesture. “Ever think you’d be up here doing this when you were younger?” 

“Ah, well, I certainly hoped for something like this, but also thought it was a silly wish.” 

Eli frowned, snuggling in closer to Thrawn for more than just some more body heat. “Now why would you think it was silly? It’s not strange to want to love, and be loved, and share what you love with your beloved.” 

Thrawn held Eli tighter with thick arms. “First the art, and now poetry. We ought to take you out more often.” 

He just had to laugh at Thrawn’s artful dodging of the question, and assumed the answer was deeply personal. “Just commenting on what I’m seeing.” 

Cuddled close together, they just sat for a while, enjoying the view and the quiet, but a rumble from someone’s midsection interrupted their reprieve. 

“Seems like you’re also ready to eat, hm?” Eli said, kissing Thrawn one more time before sliding back into the passenger seat. Taking off, Thrawn took them to a small restaurant at street level where they had a meal large enough to feed an entire fighter pilot squadron. Then, it was a short ride back to the apartment. The door was barely closed before Eli was slipping his hands under Thrawn’s shirt, snaking into the coat. “Now can you please take this ridiculous thing off?” 

Complying with Eli’s request, Thrawn divested himself of the form fitting fabric, and his boyfriend was practically drooping over what was revealed. 

“You’ve been teasing me all day, you know that?” Eli said softly, stepping towards Thrawn and pushing him backwards, his pupils blown wide against deep brown irises. 

“Perhaps.” Thrawn more breathed than spoke, reaching his arms out to grip Eli’s hips as they crossed the threshold into the bedroom. “May I request the same from you?” The question was asked casually, but Thrawn considered it a necessity. Some days Eli was more comfortable with his body than others, and he wanted to respect the man’s feelings. 

Hesitating for a few seconds, Eli then responded by hiking his shirt up over his head and tossing it aside. “Anything else?” 

“All of it.” 

After slipping out of their garments, the duo met on top of the plush comforter. With a firm nudge, Thrawn encouraged Eli to straddle his hips, and the human bent down with hands planted firmly on either side of Thrawn’s head to kiss him deeply, hunger voracious despite the large meal. It was a strange habit, but before losing himself further, Thrawn pressed against his stomach, the firmness from their dinner causing the breath to catch in his throat, reminded of times such a bulge was caused by something else. One of Eli’s hands sat itself on top of Thrawn’s. “You took the suppressants, remember?” 

Thrawn exhaled deeply. “Right. Thank you, Eli.” Eli responded with a sweet, tender kiss, nibbling at Thrawn’s bottom lip.

Thrawn’s hands came to rest in the small of Eli’s back, rubbing small circles in the warm skin. Widening his knees, Eli rubbed himself against Thrawn, both of their already hard cocks coming to full attention as the Chiss moaned into Eli’s mouth. Pulling back, Eli whispered, “I know what you like…” as his hand moved down to stroke them both agonizingly slow. 

“I need more.” Thrawn hummed, pitching his hips up at the sensation. After going through so much, moments like these were incredibly intense for the Chiss in the best way possible. “Please.” 

Pushing himself up, Eli sat in Thrawn’s lap for a moment before lifting himself. “Hand me the lube and you shall receive.” Thrawn certainly did not need to be told twice and he reached over to the side table, Eli enjoying the view as he stretched out. Then, Eli was slicking that delightfully ridged member and carefully lowering himself down on it. Now it was Thrawn’s turn to take in the sight before him. He nearly came just from it, holding onto Eli’s thighs and feeling the muscle they’d rebuilt together strain to hold the smaller human up, quivering as Eli began to ride Thrawn in earnest. 

Swearing, Eli threw his head back as he fully impaled himself. Setting a smooth pace, Eli brought Thrawn closer and closer to his orgasm as he himself was wonderfully stimulated inside and out. Thrawn’s hands danced along his skin, stroking his arms, pulling his hair, tweaking his nipples, anything to get a beautiful reaction. Mouth agape, Eli snapped his hips as Thrawn dragged the pads of his fingers along his cock, gripping it as he came inside of his partner, a long spurt of fluid that trailed down Eli’s inner thighs as there was too much for it to simply stay inside. 

Reaching down to swipe up some of Thrawn’s come, Eli began to stroke himself in earnest while still rocking on Thrawn’s half-hard cock. “Feels good… You inside me.” Eli panted, and every hair on Thrawn’s body stood on end as he was still wrapped in the embrace of his orgasm. He wrapped a hand around Eli’s stroking in unison until a shot of white streaked his chest. Pulling Eli down, Thrawn tangled a wet hand in brown hair, kissing him for as long as the human would permit, which was long enough for their mixed essences to dry, sticking them together and pulling apart with an audible snap when Eli rolled off his lover, flaccid cock leaving his entrance without fanfare. 

“Guess we should clean up.” Eli offered, and Thrawn scooped the human up into his arms, depositing Eli down under a warm stream of water in the refresher. 

“Allow me.” Thrawn said, lathering Eli up with lightly scented suds. Eli’s satisfied hums soon became needy moans as Thrawn paid the more sensitive areas more attention. Squatting down, as Eli rinsed off, Thrawn noticed a certain member flagging, and decided to initiate round two. Opening his mouth, Thrawn took the tip of Eli’s cock between his lips, licking along the head and where he knew it would feel the best for the human. 

“Oh stars, Thrawn…” Eli breathed, bracing himself on the small ledge in the shower stall as Thrawn greedily took more and more of him in with a playful growl. Playing Eli like he was an instrument, Thrawn quickly brought the man to his second peak and swallowed down every drop, not wanting to make the shower a total waste of time seeing he’d just cleaned the human. 

Catching his breath, Eli draped himself over Thrawn. “Love you.” He uttered, and Thrawn heartily replied the sentiment. After cleaning Thrawn, taking his time to massage his scalp and run his fingers through dark hair, Eli toweled off and stepped into silken shorts. Thrawn favored sleeping in the buff now that they were closely intimate, but Eli just found himself a little too distracted to sleep in such a state. 

Once back in bed, Thrawn curled around Eli, almost protectively, whispering sweet things in his ear and feeling the rise fall of his breaths, at first a bit erratic but calming as he relaxed against a broad chest. His mind remembering the events of the day, and everything that led up to it, Thrawn found himself happy and content. Despite everything that had conspired, Eli was here, trusting him, loving him, and Thrawn thought to himself that maybe his wish really was not so silly, after all. 


End file.
